Stephen Curry, Chris Paul now NBA rivals

Updated 7:29 am, Friday, April 18, 2014

Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and the Clippers' Chris Paul seem to bring out the best of each other on the court.

Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and the Clippers' Chris Paul seem to bring out the best of each other on the court.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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Terrence Ross, taken one pick after the Warriors grabbed Harrison Barnes in the 2012 draft, is thriving in Toronto.

Terrence Ross, taken one pick after the Warriors grabbed Harrison Barnes in the 2012 draft, is thriving in Toronto.

Photo: John E. Sokolowski, Reuters

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Coach Gregg Popovich, who has guided the Spurs to four NBA titles, could be in line for a third coach of the year award.

Coach Gregg Popovich, who has guided the Spurs to four NBA titles, could be in line for a third coach of the year award.

Photo: Soobum Im, Reuters

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OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 21: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors is guarded by Chris Paul #3 of the Los Angeles Clippers at Oracle Arena on January 21, 2013 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) less

OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 21: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors is guarded by Chris Paul #3 of the Los Angeles Clippers at Oracle Arena on January 21, 2013 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User ... more

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Stephen Curry, Chris Paul now NBA rivals

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It's about time this came to a head. Stephen Curry and Chris Paul have a long history of friendship, even living and working out together for a month before Curry entered the NBA, but the Warriors-Clippers rivalry has put a strain on their relationship. More than anything, it's still about respect - but there won't be a more entertaining individual matchup in the upcoming playoffs.

By all measures, they are the two top point guards in the NBA, one of them likely to be a first-team all-league choice (conceivably, both could make it, although Houston shooting guard James Harden is a strong candidate). Paul's floor leadership and all-around game are well established; Curry, nearly three years younger at 26, is being called one of the greatest shooters in league history while performing adequately on defense and still learning to control his penchant for turnovers.

Both are North Carolina products - Paul from Winston-Salem, Curry from Charlotte - and after Curry finished a sensational career at Davidson, Paul sought him out before the 2009 draft. "He basically took me under his wing for a month," Curry said. "We traveled all around the Southeast and worked out that August, leading up to the draft. It gave me a chance to see his work ethic, and what he put into the game. It definitely set me up to do the same."

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In a recent interview with NBA.com, Paul said, "It's crazy because the world is finally getting to see how good Steph is. He comes from a great family, and he works hard."

This point-guard matchup isn't likely to match the fireworks due from Damian Lillard and Patrick Beverley in the Portland-Houston series. Those guys basically want a piece of each other, and don't mind saying so. But warm feelings take leave whenever the Warriors play the Clippers, and that was evident Oct. 31 when the teams met at Staples Center. Traditionally in the NBA, Christian players from both teams share a pregame chapel service. According to several sources, the Clippers refused, holding their own session that night while the Warriors were given a separate time. Paul was upset when reporters asked him for confirmation, saying, "Who told you that? Steph, probably." The two then engaged in a spectacular duel, Paul notching 42 points and 15 assists to Curry's 38 and 9 in a Clippers victory.

If you're looking for nasty confrontation - and it will happen in this series - focus on Matt Barnes, Blake Griffin and Draymond Green, to name a few likely candidates. But the point-guard matchup will go a long way toward deciding the outcome, with an awful lot at stake. As Curry said, asked about his kinship with Paul, "Now that we're in the playoffs, all that history kind of gets pushed aside."

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-- How badly did the Clippers want to play the Warriors? After ruling Griffin out of Wednesday night's game in Portland, they announced during the afternoon that Paul wouldn't play, either. Even if Oklahoma City had lost to Detroit, the Clippers fully intended to lose that game and draw the No. 3 seed.

-- Michael Jordan is back in the playoffs, as the man who runs the Charlotte Hornets, and he will savor the adulation after years of criticism over his basketball decisions. The Miami series won't last long, but count on Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker leading the 43-39 Hornets to at least one home victory.

-- The Brooklyn Nets wanted no part of a first-round series with Chicago and made it abundantly clear, benching seven rotation players to assure a Wednesday night loss to Cleveland. Smart move, probably. Third-seeded Toronto will be favored, but count on the Nets' experience making the difference.

-- Worth monitoring: Toronto swingman Terrence Ross, the man drafted right after Harrison Barnes (the seventh and eighth picks) in the 2012 draft. While Barnes' play has raised serious doubts, Ross had a 51-point game against the Clippers in January and become an influential starter on both ends of the floor after the Rudy Gay trade.

-- By the way: Nice to see Barnes go for 30, including a massive dunk in traffic, during the Warriors' game in Denver. It meant little in the big picture, but had to bolster Barnes' confidence.

-- Coach of the Year? Has to be Gregg Popovich. Reviled in the league office for benching his stars, or giving them extended rest, he led San Antonio to the league's best record and enters the playoffs with a healthy roster. Also in the discussion: Chicago's Tom Thibodeau, the Clippers' Doc Rivers, Phoenix' Jeff Hornacek and Portland's Terry Stotts.

-- Department of old friends: Al Harrington became a fixture in Washington's rotation, and Brandan Wright has become a serious shot-blocking presence for Dallas.

-- Somebody rig the lottery so Phoenix gets the No. 1 pick. The Suns deserve a break after thrilling their fans all season, finishing at 48-34 but being eliminated from playoff contention while the 38-44 Hawks qualified in the East. So sad to see the fabulous Goran Dragic trying to will his team through the final week on a badly sprained ankle.

-- Indiana should have no problem getting past Atlanta, but the Pacers have no shot at the Finals. Not with that ridiculous cast of characters. Faced with serious issues on and off the court, these guys resorted to months of bickering and finger-pointing. "They're so emotionally fragile," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on the air, "a stiff wind knocks 'em over."